Never more than the Saturday just gone have three goals in Yorkshire created such a ripple of discontent and debate in Suffolk. Jordan Rhodes's fantastic hat-trick and along with it a piece of history has re-ignited the debate as to why Jordan was sold in the summer to Huddersfield.

The day it was announced Ipswich had accepted a bid for Rhodes there was a niggling doubt in my mind that it may come back and bite us on the proverbial you know what. Since then we have struggled for goals, a good presence up front, a player who can hold the ball up and when needed give as good as the defender gives. So why was Rhodes sold?

Money

The most obvious reason to sell Rhodes would have been to generate revenue for Keane to spend; however with Evans investment I thought the days of Town selling their best talent was over. But the moment a bid is received for arguably our best academy player since Bent we agree and off he goes. Are the finances so poor that we need to sell our brightest young prospect? The £8 million spending since has proved we our financially secure and backed by Evans so the phrase “sell before we buy” cannot apply. As a young player his wages would have been low and we seem happy to pay players such as Delaney and Priskin a damn sight more and I would rather they went first. So money was not a factor in this transfer.

Roy Keane

I would like to think that RK has the final say on which players come and go, so at some point Keane must have said to Evans etc Rhodes can go. This is what I find hard to believe, Rhodes last season was really starting to be a presence in our team and cause opposition defenders problems. Yes, I understand as a striker he didn’t set the goal charts alight for us, but nor are any of our current strikers of whom one cost £1.2 million and is on a damn sight higher wage than Rhodes would have been on (back to the money issue). After Rhodes departure Keane really began talking up the prospect of young Connor Wickham, whom I am sure will in the future be a good player for us. However, Rhodes I believe was a good couple of years' development above Wickham with the loan spell he had at Brentford which really bought Rhodes on, just ask any Brentford fan. I find it difficult to accept that Rhodes was behind Wickham in the pecking order and that Keane didn’t rate Rhodes high enough to keep him at the team and in the first team squad.

First Team Opportunities

One other reason why Jordan may of wanted to leave was to secure first team football. The loan at Brentford would have whetted his appetite for the first team and if Ipswich couldn’t guarantee him this he may have thought a drop down the leagues was beneficial to his career. If I was Keane and this was JR's reason then instead of selling our best talent another loan should have been arranged and not selling the family silver.

Basically, we will never know the real reason Jordan left and I am second guessing, but I do feel it was not financially related and that either a) RK and him fell out or b) a third party influence swayed the player's mind.

One final item that may have swayed it for Jordan was when he returned to Playford Road after discussing the move. As we know Jordan was set to turn the move down but no one from Ipswich tried to persuade him to stay. Why? This was one of our brightest young prospects who the fans enjoyed seeing play.

Finally these stats say it much better than I can:

Jordan Rhodes – Played 16 Scored 11 Priskin – Played 11 Scored 2 Stead – Could play all year and would still not score.

Huddersfield - Top six Ipswich - 24th

So Mr Keane and Mr Evans – WHY? And I hope we have a sell on clause because this boy is going to make it to the Premier League before we do.

tractorboybig added 15:58 - Oct 14 A manager with vision, an owner with ambition, brought priskin sold rhodes. Only time will tell but you have to admit it aint looking rosey.
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itfc1981 added 16:02 - Oct 14 superb blog agree to every point made. Having helped to light the touchpaper on the forum today, I am glad somebody is not willing to let this sleeping dog lie.
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mripswichtown added 16:03 - Oct 14 Lets be positive for a change! all i see is negative reports and stories there must be some positive stories out there, i feel the media are having a field trip at the moment. yes it is a disappointment we sold Rhodes but there's nothing we can do about it now so lets just move on and hope for better things.
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muhrensleftfoot added 16:15 - Oct 14 Rhodes didn't want to leave, and kept trying to contact Keane from Huddersfield, but RK wouldn't speak to him. The sale of Rhodes, more than anything else this season, has left a nasty taste. If we were pennyless like when we sold Ambrose, you have to accept it, but otherwise, you do not sell your best young talent. See article: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article6859244.e

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samassiabou added 16:33 - Oct 14 Move on for goodness sake. Rhodes has and he ain't coming back!
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dobbie73 added 16:35 - Oct 14 It is a good piece, but we may never know the truth. Will all this soul-searching bring Rhodes back? No. At least not without a large (loss-making) price tag! Also consider the teams that Rhodes has played for .... Huddersfield Town - League 1 .... banging goals in for fun Brentford - League 2 (now in 1) .... banging goals in for fun Oxford United - Blue Square Premier .... banging goals in for fun Ipswich Town - Championship .... hardly made an impact There is no guarantee that Rhodes would have cut it at this level (remember that even Magilton was farming Rhodes out on loan, so he was unlikely to be a sudden impact star here even if Keane wasn't our manager), and I firmly believe that the club gambled and cashed in on an irresistible offer. Only time will tell whether that gamble was right or wrong. 5 years down the road (no pun intended!), Rhodes will either be a decent Premiership striker in which case we can say that the club screwed up royally by letting him go too early, or he will be a good player at League 1 or 2 level, but no better than that. In THAT case, we can say with justification that the club was right to cash in, because he was never going to get any better than he is now.

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paulbahrain added 16:37 - Oct 14 To sell a young class player like Rhodes was criminal and Mr Keane should ask himself whether he knows what he is doing. All he seems to be buying are his ex players at Sunderland or Irish journeymen. Has he not got a good scouting system at Ipswich or does he just ignore them.
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Franzgumm added 16:45 - Oct 14 Interesting piece, but none of the reasons you highlight are mutually exclusive. Clearly, it was a bit of everything. Reasonable money, for a player who had not made an impact at first team level and was unlikely to very soon (Keane obviously didn't expect us to misfire as dramatically as we have). It is also possible that Keane didn't intend putting out a team which would be so focussed on a poacher - which could be another reason for his offloading Lisbie so readily.

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dirtydingusmagee added 17:07 - Oct 14 Dobbie73 ......could it be that he never made an impact because he was busy banging in goals on loan ? Good Blog,
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mripswichtown added 17:10 - Oct 14 everything everyone says will not bring Rhodes back will it! so just move on yes keane made a mistake! but nothing we can do now!
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olimar added 17:12 - Oct 14 Poorly argued. Alarm bells were ringing at- "Rhodes last season was really starting to be a presence in our team and cause opposition defenders problems"- Is this fact, or based on guesswork? Are we talking about the player that spent almost all of last season out on loan at two different clubs, before breaking his ankle and missing the last few months of the season? The alarm bell ringer finally fell off at the closing statement- "Finally these stats say it much better than I can" Ironically, they perfectly summarise what a poor argument is put forward. A series of stats comparing a player in the top 6 of League one with stats of players at the foot of the championship, as some kind of proof. Ross McCormack scored more goals in the Championship than Obafemi Martins managed in the Premiership. Therefore hes a better player.....?

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WickedBlue added 17:13 - Oct 14 This is getting so boring it is not the first time we have sold a player that on hindsight perhaps we shouldn't and I am sure it won't be the last. It is always to see more clearly with hindsight. I was against his being sold be he's gone time for people to grow up and get over it. One other point you all seem to forget, Pablo could have gone to Swansea but chose to remain and fight for his his place, RK said that it is fine with him if players want to do that, so if JR wanted to stay he could have turned down the move and stayed and made RK play him by preforming...but he did not want to do it. Why I have no idea and don't give me the crap RK told him he would never play for Town....That is the same as newspapers (all whom are lying two faced scumbags) who state an Ipswich insider told me...and you lot eat it up and believe it.

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europeantour added 17:19 - Oct 14 Gary Roberts is having a great season for Huddersfield in League One so does that mean selling him was a mistake? He was awful at Town and I believe like Rhodes he has found his level. If Rhodes was that good there would have been Championship or Premiership clubs after him.
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ldnj added 17:19 - Oct 14 Buying him back wouldn't be that expnsive. I PRESUME there is a reasonable sell on clause so therefore that element clearly wouldn't have to be paid (as it would be effectively paying yourself). So biting the bullet and accepting a bit of cost (when he hasn't been on the wage bill but getting games) would not neccessarily be too expensive. Depends how long you leave it ... after all he was "the best natural golascorer" the club had one week but not the next, and persumably he might be that at quite a few clubs. Another thing is I remember, seeing a throw away comment in a column just after he was sold saying he may have broken club rules when they were in preseason overseas but I never saw it mentioned again. The thick plottens

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loudnproud added 17:19 - Oct 14 When the offer came in for Rhodes......Roy Keane was still finding out where his desk was!!! The final decision was indeed the managers,However i understand that RK felt that he was the wrong person to make a choice about Wickham/Rhodes for in truth he accepted that he knew very little of either of them. This task therefore fell to Klug who made the decision on the clubs behalf about which one of them showed the better potential for the club. I also believe that the add on clauses are pretty impressive too. As for comparing the stats......you are missing one very big gap between divisions,therefore pretty pointless. Even Parkin was "Banging them in" at League 1 and 2 level. I do accept that Rhodes will make the premiership,I also believe that Connor Wickham will also.

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brendanh added 17:22 - Oct 14 That Times article confirms he did not want to leave. This was Keane's biggest howler, and that's saying something. How can you say he didn't make an impact for us? He was never given a chance! He never started a single match at Ipswich. Absolutely disgraceful for a club with a repution for giving promising youth a chance. No wonder we are free falling.
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FormerlyCGS added 17:32 - Oct 14 Some of yo uaint got a clue. I would rather have rhodes in my team based on his LEAGUE ! FACTS than any of our strikers. Saying he owuld not cut it at this level is boll*ks. Dobie - Saying he banged in goals for fun in the lower leagues and hardly made an iimpact for us - HE HARDLY PLAYED FOR US. I often get called negative, fickle unintelligent .e.t.c on here for my comments, and often get abuse from a few of you 'pro Keaners' - Tell me what do you like so much about a man who has led us to bottom of the league so much, HAVE I MISSED SOMETHING? All there are surrounding Keane are stupid and rash decisions that make him and our club look like a p*ss poor place to earn your money. No wonder we aint signed a defender on loan, why should they come here for three months and work for a to sser like Keane? Garvan, David Wright, Rhodes, Pablo (whom he accepted a poor bid for) Supple (thought fcuk that I aint playing for him) all good players that if I was manager I would play (not supple) yet none of these feature for us. WHY? The only answer is KEANE. Wicked blue - will garvan make him play by performing - i doubt it, he could play the best football in his life in training and he would not be picked. David Wright what has he done to be ignored? He was arghuably one of our best players last year? Franzgumm - What team dont play with the intention of having a poacher? All teams lpay with two stikers with the hope one will be there to get the 6yard headers and all rebounds? - I bet you want Keane to stay! Mripsichtown - WHAT IS THERE TO BE POSITIVE ABOUT? Tell me cos I cant see nothing at the moment! YEah maybe Leadbitter, Rosenior and edwards - quality signings but we still aint won a game! I have seen alot of people on here saying 6 points in the next two games and then oru magnificant run will start - Get real we will be lucky to go through both games without conceding more than 6 goals and 2 points!

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reallygoodname added 17:34 - Oct 14 from what i heard rhodes back chatted to keane in training literally days after keane had come out in the press and praised rhodes' attitude in the game. keane lost his job the moment he let this superstar walk out those gates. keane out!
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VILJOEN67 added 17:42 - Oct 14 The most dissapointing thing is he was never given a proper run in the side, natural goalscorers dont appear every five minutes, by performing well at a lower level surely he had earnt the right to be given a chance. Perhaps it was felt that connor wickham was a more all round player with greater potential, he probably is even at the age of 16, What would have been wrong with keeping them both.It was probably down to wanting at least three experienced strikers for a promotion push rather than relying on ''potential'' it was a gamble that looks to have not paid off as yet. There is something sickening though about selling one of the best youth team products in recent years

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PunchNoHopers added 18:01 - Oct 14 He was my daughters favourite player, yet he was never given a chance or a run in the team, but had so much potential at all levels he has played at. He is, unlike every striker we now have on our books a natural goal-scorer. Sadly when we sold him, I lost faith in Keane as a manager at Town for the first time.
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aldermastonblue added 18:16 - Oct 14 Ibet he moves to the premiership in january for a large fee and still bangs in the goals..Worst bit of business keane has done so far..Then he just signs C..P..
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pickles110564 added 18:20 - Oct 14 I think you find that in the past we had a striker that banged loads of goals in the reserves for fun (in a much better reserves league) but never made the grade in the first team. The jury is still out on rhodes on how he would perform at a higher level, hopefully we will see him and Huddersfield next season in the fizzy league. I think selling him to that league was a plot to ensure that Narwich will be stuck down in the lower leagues as Jordon will fire his NEW team into the fizzy. In Keano we trust. COYB

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jas0999 added 18:33 - Oct 14 This article is seriously flawed. The only part I agree with is that Stead could play all year and never score! How on earth you can compare a striker playing in Division 1 to a player in the Championship is beyond me. The step up is massive - just ask Sam Parkin! Utter rot comparing the two. When are people going to let this Rhodes thing go? Who knows the circumstances behind it . . . perhaps Jordan's Dad was the man behind it - especially after being sacked by Jim? The way some people are talking you would have thought Jordan was a prolific goal scorer for us . . .

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runaround added 19:10 - Oct 14 Callumgarryskeemer - I back Ipswich Town, as Keane is currently the manager i support him too - yes we are doing poorly right now but i hope he will turn it around. If he doesnt then i'm sure he will go - constantly complaining about him will not change the fact he is our boss until either himself or Evans decides otherwise - as for Rhodes i believe it was a bad move to sell him but as Dobbie says whats done is done and we cannot change that. we will never know how well Rhodes would have done here so we just have to accept it and move on - i'm more interested in getting behind the players to help them arrest this slide

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GeorgiDoundarov added 19:11 - Oct 14 I agree dobbie73! Although Rhodes scores like crazy in League 1 that doesn't mean he would have done the same in the Championship! I still think we should not keep fringe players that would not make any impact. So I was OK with Rhodes being sold (and Lisbie sent on loan). On the other hand I thought we will add up to 2-3 strikers and quality ones too. What we ended up with was Priskin. And we couldn't attract any others. This is the real problem - not that we shouldn't have sell Rhodes but that we missed on adding quality strikers. And a center back too. Hopefully we will do that in the near future to become a real threat in this league! And now that I start thinking more and more the play-offs hopes for this season are over we should prepare well for a big push next year.

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